


Second Chances

by ibelieveinturtles



Series: Soul to Soul [12]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soulmate lines, Soultember Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-18 18:08:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20643440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibelieveinturtles/pseuds/ibelieveinturtles
Summary: After losing their soulmates at a young age, Darcy and Brock both develop second soulthreads. Darcy is surprised but pleased whilst Brock is more cautious.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the Soultember Prompt, ‘The Threads of Fate - everyone is connected to their soulmate/s by a line or thread.’
> 
> In this au, people who lose their soulmates young sometimes find a new thread and a new soulmate later in life.
> 
> So. I started this fic with the intention of a quick little one shot, no research, no backstory, just a thousand or so words of a first meeting between soulmates. Almost three weeks later there’s nearly 6000 words and I’ve researched stuff including Regency Introductions, Regency shopping, how long does it take a horse to travel 100miles? 50 miles? 20 miles? Regency holiday celebrations, when did Easter fall in 1806-1815? (Didn't end up using that bit!) and several other things… I think I'm physically incapable of not researching this shit.
> 
> I also listened to the Persuasion audiobook for language and writing style, and a bit of Vitamin String Orchestra to set the mood.
> 
> Anyway, let me know your theories and guesses in the comments cos I can’t write anything without having a ton of worldbuilding either, apparently!
> 
> Finally, thanks to Zephrbabe and Meilan_Firaga for the beta. Any mistakes added after they looked at it are mine and mine alone.

* * *

Brock Rumlow took a glass from a passing waiter, glanced down at the thin burgundy thread leading away from his wrist, and surveyed the ballroom. While the crowd was still sparse, the room was slowly filling. He had arrived early in the company of Jack Rollins, who promptly disappeared to play a few rounds of cards and indulge in a little light espionage before the dancing started.

Across the room he could hear the doorman announcing Lady Hill, followed immediately by a Mr and Mrs Phillips as more guests arrived.

"Well, Commander," said a voice at his elbow. "Have you any luck yet?"

"Not yet," he said, turning to look at the ball's hostess. She was dressed in royal blue silk this evening, obviously chosen to set her apart from the white-clad husband-hunters. A sapphire encrusted tiara perched on her head and her ever present fan hung from her gloved hand. He had first met Natasha almost a dozen years previously when engaged to help smuggle her out of Saint Petersburg for the Order. To the world in general she claimed to be a Russian Princess run away from an unwanted marriage, but Brock was one of the few who knew that was only part of the truth.

"Patience, my friend. It is still early. Only half of my guests have arrived so far."

He nodded in acknowledgement and resisted looking at his wrist once more.

The development of a new soul thread early the previous year had been unexpected, and - dare he think it - unwanted. He had been threadless for more than seventeen years, which had been an important factor in his decision to accept the offer of working for the Order. 

While it was not unheard of for second threads to form after the loss of a soulmate, he had never expected to get a second chance. Grieving the untimely death of his first soulmate he joined the navy, committing his life to the defence of Crown and Country. He rose quickly to the rank of lieutenant, thanks in part to the intervention and sponsorship of the master of his second ship, Captain Pierce. From there he saw enough action to earn a good amount of prize money and in due time, promotion to Commander and his own ship. His invitation to join the Order of the Shield had come after an eye-opening encounter near Bermuda barely a year later, and he had been in service to the Order ever since. 

His work for the Order took him to all corners of the Empire and beyond, educating him to the great variety of people who filled the world. While it was often dangerous, and the things he was asked to do were rarely pleasant, he did not wish to give it up. All of this gave him cause to be wary of following the thread - while he trusted to God and fate and all of creation, still he could not help but have his doubts. 

Thoughts such as these occupied him for several months while he investigated stories of warriors that spat purple lightning in Africa, until he received new orders requiring his return to England.

He took his leave of his friends, and followed both his mission and his new thread as far as London. He could not decide if he wished to follow the thread further but as his new assignment kept him in London he had no good reason to make the decision yet anyway.

Natasha was his main contact for his new assignment, and as one of the few people he trusted implicitly, he decided to make her his confidant, revealing to her, and her alone, the existence of his new thread. After a long discussion, she reminded him there would soon be an influx of people arriving for the Season, and it was possible his soulmate would come to him. If they did not come to London for the summer, then Natasha would make arrangements enabling him to pursue the matter discreetly if he wished it. 

Over the next two months he watched the thread jerk and bounce as if it were a fishing line with a catch. Occasionally it visibly shifted in one direction or another, indicating a journey of notable distance but mostly it merely vibrated as his new soulmate went about their daily routines at home. Then four weeks ago the movements suddenly become much more extreme. 

His new soulmate had arrived in London. 

At first his soulmate gave the appearance of a social butterfly, rarely leaving home during the day but venturing forth most evenings and rarely returning before dawn. After three weeks of careful study and investigation he realised they were spending their nights at the Observatory.

Now they were so close, the temptation to find them was greatly increased, and it was with great care and thought that he chose to seek them out - if only to see who his new soulmate was.

It was a simple matter to discover that access to the Observatory was for approved scholars and guests only which only increased his curiosity. While it would have been a simple thing to have Natasha obtain an invitation for him, he had little idea of how long the process would take and no desire to wait an indefinite amount of time. After some thought he decided that as he was not yet after an introduction - just a look or a glimpse - then his object could be as easily achieved by loitering outside the property gates.

The effort was in vain. Whether by coincidence or other intervention, this was the week their routine changed. They stayed in that night and the following day began a whirlwind of visits to dressmakers, milliners, ladies shoe manufacturers, and several suppliers of accessories and other essentials. He was always a step or two behind them, and all he managed to discover was that his new soulmate was most likely a she.

It wasn't until he mentioned his growing frustration to Natasha that a possible solution presented itself - Natasha declared she would throw open her annual ball to a wider range of guests. Not only would it increase his chances of meeting his soulmate, but it would be easier for all members of the Order to attend that night’s meeting without suspicion.

"How can you be sure she will be here tonight?" he asked, ignoring the doorman's continuing announcement of new arrivals.

"Because," Natasha replied, "I invited everyone."

"That doesn't mean she will be here."

"If she does not attend then we will make other plans," she assured him.

The doorman was now making almost constant announcements as guest after guest paraded through the entrance to the ballroom. Some names he recognised, others he did not. 

Mr and Mrs Jones, Miss Michelle Jones, Miss Kathryn Jones.

Captain and Mrs Rogers.

Lord and Lady Carter.

Miss Darcy Foster and Miss Wanda Maximoff.

Mr Phillip Coulson. 

Lady May.

Brock drained his glass, swapping it for a new one as another waiter passed by.

Looking at his wrist, he realised his thread was now pointing in the opposite direction, and even as he watched, it wandered further around to the left.

"I think she is here."

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy POV

* * *

Darcy followed Wanda around the edge of the dance floor, her eyes alternating between the black thread leading away from her wrist, and the people in the room. She'd been surreptitiously watching it ever since she and Wanda entered the carriage at home.

Her new thread appeared at the same time her dear sister Jane received her first thread. Neither of them knew exactly when the threads appeared, having been a little preoccupied with a most exciting and thrilling adventure at the time. Jane met her soulmate almost as soon as she noticed her thread but Darcy's thread pointed almost directly south and barely moved at all, even once they started their journey home.

Over the following months her thread moved but little for several months, indicating only that either her new soulmate stayed at home, or was many hundreds of miles distant. The thread finally began to show more distinct movements just before All Saints Day, and their arrival in London signified the most dramatic increase she had yet seen.

She now watched her thread with eager curiosity and expectation whenever she could. In spite of their mostly nocturnal lifestyle she was able to see enough movement to conclude very quickly that her second soulmate ventured out only a little less often than Wanda and herself, and spent more of the nighttime hours at home. 

With the help of a compass, Wanda’s assistance, and a map her father kept on display in the library, Darcy was able to determine his likely place of residence and several of his favourite destinations.

Tonight, it began to move about an hour before she and Wanda were ready to depart. When it came to rest, Darcy snuck into the library and attempted to puzzle out its location on the map.

When she realised there was a very good chance they were attending the same ball this evening, it became very difficult to maintain a facade of calm but it was near impossible for Darcy to hide anything from Wanda, who merely smiled at her knowingly.

As they circumnavigated the room, the thread remained steadfastly pointing at an area on the other side of the dance floor.

"Wanda, I think I need somewhere to sit and something to drink," she murmured, clinging to Wanda's arm.

"Are you ill?" Wanda asked, her accented voice taking on a note of concern.

Darcy shook her head. "No. No, I am quite well, but  _ he _ is here, and if I don't sit down I shan't be able to resist following my thread." She paused for a moment as Wanda's eyes went first to Darcy's wrist and then to the other side of the room. "I did promise Mrs Barton I would try to not cause a scandal but I am finding it very hard to resist," she finished.

"Oh, Darcy!" Wanda exclaimed, grasping both of Darcy's hands and looking around for a free chair. "It wouldn't be your first scandal, would it? Anyway, who cares what the gossips think. I think at your age those stupid rules should be excused, don't you?" There was a mischievous glint in Wanda's eye and Darcy responded in kind. 

Through no fault of her own, Darcy had been the subject of gossip more than once. Her first soulmate had died in unusual circumstances, leaving her grief stricken. Two years later she met Mr Ian Boothby, a refined and intelligent young man who had no objections to smart ladies who were also well educated - a rare and attractive element in a young man. He was also one of those rare creatures who had never had a soul thread.

After a whirlwind romance, Mr Boothby proposed. Darcy accepted, everything was arranged to everyone's satisfaction, and the only obstacle to their happiness was the acquisition of his mother's blessing.

In a curious twist of fate, Mrs Boothby had - in her youth - been a close friend of both Darcy's mother, Mrs Emily Foster, nee Lewis, and Miss Anne Lewis, Darcy's long-dead aunt. A falling out had ended the friendship and Mrs Boothby still held both an intimate secret of Miss Anne's and a grudge against Mrs Foster.

There was a disagreement, followed by a scene, followed by the abrupt ending of the engagement when Mrs Boothby informed Darcy that her mother and father were actually her aunt and uncle and refused to give her blessing.

In spite of her shock at Mrs Boothby’s revelations, Darcy was disappointed when Mr Boothby succumbed to all of his mother’s threats of disinheritance if he insisted on continuing with such an unequal match. The only favour he demanded in return was that his mother continue to keep the secret she had held for so long.

To explain the broken engagement, it was put about that Mr Boothby developed a soul thread a week before their wedding but tongues still wagged.

Now considered a confirmed spinster at age 27, Darcy derived great comfort from knowing that her sister (what was the difference between a cousin and a sister when they had been sisters their entire lives and were so dear to each other?) Jane may not have found her soulmate - and Darcy may not have a new one - if Mr Boothby had not jilted her. 

So, with Jane gone from England on her honeymoon, their mother satisfied to remain in the country, the young ladies she tutored gone visiting, and no significant movement of her soul thread for several weeks, Darcy accepted her dear friend Mrs Barton’s invitation to join her and her children in London for several weeks. It offered not only the hope of meeting her new soulmate but the opportunity to expand on Jane's research.

The only barrier now? He had not yet approached her and it was considered extremely bad manners for a young lady to introduce herself, even if she was 27. If she were a widow, or even just a few years older it would be different but for now, Darcy was constrained by society's expectations.

Yes," Darcy agreed, "but Lila looks up to me, though I don't know why, and I promised Mrs Barton for her sake." She grinned wider and Wanda returned a smile of her own which widened when she spied another friend close by.

"Ooh, Darcy, look. Is that not Miss Jones waving us over? She has a table all to herself."

Miss Jones rose to greet them as they approached the table. As they settled into their seats, Wanda waved down a waiter and Darcy gratefully took the glass of wine he passed her. Raising the glass to her lips, she took a long sip, and let her eyes wander over the crowd. The dancers swirled past and for a moment there was a gap right along the line of her thread. She caught the briefest glimpse of a well dressed older man staring at her and then the gap closed.

She was halfway to her feet when Wanda's excited exclamation caught her attention.

"Darcy! Darcy, look who it is!"

Following Wanda and Miss Jones' gaze she was amazed and overjoyed to see Jane approaching them through the crowd, her new husband, Thor, close on her heels.

All thoughts of chasing down her soulmate disappeared from Darcy’s mind as she sprang from her seat. Discarding almost all semblance of respectability, she all but threw herself at Jane.

"Oh, Jane! When did you arrive? Why did you not send word?"

"We only arrived this afternoon," Jane replied, returning Darcy's embrace. "I wished to surprise you but imagine  _ my _ surprise when we discovered where you were!" She glanced over her shoulder at Thor. "Being married to the Crown Prince of Asgard has finally come useful, for the invitation was already at home when we arrived!" she laughed.

"I knew he would be useful eventually," Darcy replied, happy tears in her eyes. "Oh, I have missed you so very much!" She released Jane only to be engulfed by Thor.

"I also have missed you, my dear Darcy," Thor said. "Now, where can I find something to drink?"

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brock learns a little bit about his new soulmate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all the awesome comments! I will reply to them but my schedule has just been thrown out whack by me driving to work today instead of taking the train.  
So update now, comment replies later 👍

* * *

Brock turned, following the thread with his eyes. He caught a glimpse of burgundy as the white-clad dancers flitted past, and for a moment he locked eyes with his soulmate. She was still young, but definitely a woman grown, not a newly-out girl. Her dark hair was caught up at the back of her head, loose curls framing her pale face and she held a glass of wine to full lips.

"I saw her," Brock said, his mouth suddenly gone dry.

"Where? Who?" Natasha asked.

"On the other side of the dance floor. She has dark hair and is wearing a dark red dress."

Natasha peered through the crowd. There was another brief gap but this time the woman in the red dress was embracing a woman wearing a green gown in a style unfamiliar to Brock. There was a very large man behind them, smiling with hearty fondness.

"There are too many people," Natasha said, flicking her skirts with her fan. "I cannot see more than a glimpse. Wait here, I shall return shortly."

Before he could reply she disappeared into the crowd. Barely a minute later she was back, a rarely seen look of surprise on her face. She strode up to him and stared at him for a moment before asking, "Do you have any idea who she is?"

"I've not been in London for near 20 years, Natasha. The only people I know are members of the Order, anyone I've dealt with on behalf of the Order, and those you've introduced me to since I arrived three weeks ago." The words came out more curtly than he intended. He sighed. "My apologies, I am a little on edge. As to your question - _should_ I know who she is?"

Natasha considered the question. "Hmm, perhaps not. I forget you've been away from England for so long. If we are both seeing the same young lady then she is Miss Darcy Foster, and I have heard a whisper or two about her before this-" Natasha stopped and shook her head. "No, that is not relevant at this time - tell me, did you hear about the Norwegian incident by any chance?"

Brock shook his head. "What happened?"

Natasha cast a cautious glance around them, then beckoned for him to follow her to a more private corner. 

Snapping her fan open and fluttering it gently in front of her face, she started talking. 

"We do not know all the details. Our man did not arrive until it was all over and the stories he collected are all… most wild. Over the course of a week in the first half of April last year, the residents of an isolated fishing village north of Tromso observed what they thought was a particularly spectacular occurrence of the Aurora Borealis."

"The details are somewhat unsure - some said a man fell - or flew, opinions differ - from the sky on a rainbow of light. According to witnesses, the man appeared drunk or mad at first, claiming to be the Norse god Thor. Soon after the man's arrival several more people fell to earth and a battle of some sort ensued. There were reports of a giant metal automaton that breathed fire and a fierce storm that blew up out of nowhere. Others claimed it was all an illusion and nothing happened at all." Natasha shrugged. "What little evidence our man could find suggests _ something _ happened but without a forthcoming witness we cannot be sure."

"And what does this have to do with my soulmate?" Brock asked, thinking it was surely more than even Natasha suspected. The coincidence of the date and the appearance of his new soul thread was too much to be unrelated. Which week, he wondered? That was a question that would have to wait, he decided.

"She was there," Natasha said. "She and her sister, Miss Jane Foster, as she was then, journeyed to Norway with their father, where they were joined by a Mr Selvig, a leading Norwegian astronomer. They were studying the Aurora and were the first to come to the fallen man's aid."

Brock turned Natasha's words over in his mind. "What do you think happened there?" he asked.

Natasha shook her head. "I do not know. Logic suggests there is an explanation for what happened, yet I have been unable to fathom it. The curious thing about the whole event is that the elder Miss Foster returned to England engaged to a Mr Thor Odinson, who claims to be the Crown Prince of Asgard, a small island country off the coast of Norway."

"I've never heard of a country called Asgard," Brock mused.

"Neither have I," replied Natasha, "and it is not on any map I have looked at."

"There are so many small kingdoms in Europe still, is it not surprising that one has managed to stay unnoticed?"

"_ I _ know all of them," Natasha replied.

They fell into silence, each of them considering the tale as they watched the dancers swirl around the room.

"You think this is an opportunity for me to find out more, don't you?" he said at last.

Natasha looked at him. "The incident is exactly the kind of event the Order was created to investigate and assess. You and I both know there is more to God's creation than what is commonly held to be true." She glanced around, noting the presence of a matron and her young charge close by. A frown creased her forehead and she continued. “I will not deny that I heartily wish to know more, however, I will not ask you to do anything. A soulmate is not to be used in such a manner." Her last words were said softly, with a tone of regret.

Brock glanced away. "Perhaps I should leave her be, Natasha. What need would she have for a man of my history and reputation?"

"You would ignore your soul thread?" Natasha answered softly.

"I would only put her in danger, I think."

Natasha gave him a small smile. "I think you are a fool if you allow her to slip away from you. She would not be yours if there were not something particular about her. Do you not wish to know why she has been chosen for you and you for her?"

Brock looked away, sweeping his gaze across the crowd of chattering, laughing, happy people. A not insignificant swelling of envy arose in his heart at the sight.

"Perhaps," he conceded.

Natasha rolled her eyes at him and snapped her fan closed. "Well while you dilly dally around trying to decide what you desire, _ I _ wish to make her acquaintance anyway. She is a fascinating creature in-"

She trailed off as something behind him caught her attention. Brock swivelled on his heel to see Rollins approaching them with a scowl on his face.

"My apologies, madam," Rollins said to Natasha, "but Sitwell was overheard boasting to Harris that a major obstacle is to be removed tonight." He turned to Brock. "I'm sorry to disrupt your plans but we'll be wanting your help."

Brock cursed, ignoring the gasps of shock from the nearby matron and her charge. Turning to Natasha he bowed. "It seems the decision has been made for me this night," he said with a wry smile. "Perhaps we might continue this discussion upon my return?"

"Go," Natasha said. "I shall take good care of everything."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought they were going to meet, didn't you? Sorrynotsorry 😁


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha makes some new acquaintances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Can I just say, all your comments are keeping the smile on my face this week. I'm excited every time I check my email 😁💗👍

* * *

Darcy was so happy to see her sister that she entirely forgot about her soul thread for quite some time. Jane was relating the details of their journey from Asgard and her unusual bout of travel sickness when Thor returned with his drinks.

"My love, I have just made the acquaintance of a new friend," he said, handing a glass of punch to his wife, "and she wishes to be introduced to you, Darcy, and our other friends." Without waiting for an answer he turned and beckoned.

"Your Highness, may I present to you my wife, Crown Princess Jane of Asgard; my wife's sister, Miss Darcy Foster; and our dear friends, Miss Wanda Maximoff, and Miss Michelle Jones."

Jane and Darcy hurriedly rose to their feet and curtsied. When there had been no formal receiving line, Darcy had assumed she would not meet their hostess and was now taken by surprise.

"Jane, Darcy; Princess Natasha Romanoff."

The Princess returned their curtsies.

"I'm so glad to meet you at last, Your Highness," Princess Natasha said to Jane. "I've heard much about you."

"Likewise, Your Highness," Jane said. "I have been eager to make your acquaintance for some time now."

Princess Natasha turned to Darcy next. "Miss Foster, it is a great pleasure to meet you as well. I understand you have an interest in Astronomy, having been spending time with Miss Caroline Herschel at the Observatory?"

"No, Your Highness," Darcy replied, startled at the question. "I mean yes. I mean-" She took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing. "Miss Maximoff and I have had some use of the telescope but we have been spending most of our time studying Miss Herschels' catalogues and journals on Jane's behalf. Jane is the astronomer. I lean more towards the practical side and have also been learning how to build the telescopes from Miss Herschel's brother."

"Are you all of a scientific mind?" Princess Natasha asked, an expression of curiosity on her face.

Darcy nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. 

"Our father is an astronomer and a scholar," Jane said, "and encouraged our education. In turn, Darcy and I have made it our duty to encourage other young ladies. Miss Jones has a keen interest in history and politics, and excels in mathematics. Darcy studies politics, as well as engineering and the design of telescopes, and Wanda…" she glanced at Wanda, not wanting to give away her true talent, "Wanda also studies politics and speaks several languages."

"There are not enough ladies in the sciences," Princess Natasha declared, smiling at them all with delight. "I wish I were at leisure to sit with you this evening but alas, I have duties to attend to." She tapped her fan thoughtfully and then her face lit up again. "You must all come dine with me so we can discuss it at length."

"We would be delighted," Jane replied.

"Excellent. I shall send the invitation for the day after tomorrow. It was delightful to meet you and I look forward to your company. Excuse me."

After another round of bowing and curtseying the Princess left.

"Oh Lord!" Darcy exclaimed. "I'm speechless. I can't believe we've been invited to dine with a princess!"

"Darcy, _ I'm _ a princess," Jane said, a tone of mock offense in her voice.

Darcy just waved a hand at her. "Yes but I've known you since before I could talk and I have seen you sit at table with a forkful of food halfway to your mouth for a good ten minutes because you were so enraptured with the scientific journal you could not bear to part with."

There were muffled giggles from Wanda and Miss Jones, and Jane burst out laughing.

"I cannot deny that," she said ruefully.

"It was one of the things that first drew me to you, beloved," Thor interjected. "That, your great knowledge of the stars, and your dancing. Shall we?"

Darcy watched them take to the dance floor. Shortly after, Wanda's brother approached, bringing his friends with him and it wasn't long before they were all dancing.

The evening turned quickly into night which turned into early morning and soon Darcy was surprised to learn that dawn was fast approaching. The only blight on Darcy's happiness was the disappearance of her still unmet soulmate. In her joy at Jane's unexpected return her attention had been quite distracted and she did not know exactly when he had left. While she knew there were some very legitimate reasons a gentleman may have to leave a ball so early in the evening, she was unfortunately disposed to believe the worst.

When she confided in both Jane and Wanda, her friends made every effort to console and reassure her, even going so far as to make Darcy promise not to assume the worst. 

When Jane and Thor left just before midnight, pleading exhaustion from their journey, they offered to deliver Darcy and Wanda to their lodgings with Mrs Barton. After some thought, Darcy declined, choosing to stay longer in the hope that her soulmate would return, but promising to call on them for luncheon the next day. 

She was resting her sore feet and watching the few dancers left when Wanda flopped into the chair beside her.

"I am exhausted, Darcy, and quite ready to quit this place and seek my bed."

Darcy nodded her agreement. "Perhaps we should retrieve our coats and send for our carriage."

"Very well," Wanda said. "I shall call for the carriage, you fetch our coats, and I shall meet you on the steps."

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watch where you're going, Brock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scheduled posting is great until your plans change. 😁

* * *

The sun's first light was creeping through the sky as Brock trudged up the steps to the servants entrance of Natasha's mansion. The night had not gone well and they had missed the meeting for nothing. If his luck held, Natasha would not be the only Order member still at the ball for he had news most dire.

He tried very hard to push the matter of his soulmate to the back of his mind for now. He had had much time to think on the return journey, weighing up all of his own doubts and caution against Natasha's confidence and assurance, and concluding that perhaps it was only cowardice and fear preventing him from seizing his opportunity. While it was too late - or indeed, too early for him to do so today, if Natasha had done as she promised and made the acquaintance, then it was truly only a matter of time before he and his soulmate would be known to each other. 

It took them too long to discover the meaning behind Sitwell's statement and even if they had realised sooner it would not have mattered. Lord Howard Stark's carriage was more than 50 miles away when it was run off the road by persons unknown and even with a change to fresh mounts halfway there it took them near four hours to reach the accident site. The Lord and his Lady were both dead, and the precious cargo they had been carrying was missing. Messages were already on their way to their son in New York but it would be weeks before Lord Anthony would arrive in England - and that was on the expectation he chose to return. 

Rollins had stayed to supervise the clean up of the accident and would then escort the bodies to London. Brock was left with the task of informing the Order of the loss of one of their most senior members. And the cargo.

Brock shuddered whenever he thought of that curious object. His one encounter with it had left him a changed man and he wished never to come near it again.

He made his way towards the ballroom, cutting through the twisting servants corridors to save time. 

Pushing through a small hidden door into a corridor that led off the house's main entrance he walked directly into one of Natasha's guests. The woman let out a soft "oof," and stumbled from the force of the collision. Brock reached out to catch her and she flung her hands up to hold on to him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, clinging to his shoulders. "I did not see you there."

"The fault is mine, madam," Brock said. "Are you hurt?"

Shaking her head slowly, she drew back, her hands sliding down his arms until they rested on his forearms. He curled his hands to cup her elbows, holding her steady as she regained her balance.

"Thank you, no. Just a little-" she broke off, her body stiffening as the grip of her fingers tightened on his arms. "The threads," she exclaimed, a note of surprised excitement in her voice. "Look."

He looked down to see a black thread twining it's way along the woman's arm as if seeking something out. Pulling his hand from her elbow, he watched his burgundy thread copy the black threads action and then the two threads met, twisting back along each other until he and the woman were joined wrist to wrist by a black and burgundy cord.

After all his doubt and reticence the universe had spoken in a very decided fashion. He shifted his gaze to her face, recognising at once the woman he'd only glimpsed across the dance floor. It seemed the universe had tired of waiting for him to gather his courage and was insisting.

"Oh," she said, lifting her eyes to his. "It is you."

"Yes," he replied. "It is."

She blushed pink but did not look away. “I do hope you have a good reason for leaving as you did.” It was a bold comment from a woman he had only just met and it occurred to him that it was exactly the sort of thing Natasha would say.

"I was called away on urgent business," he said apologetically, "and have only just returned. I assure you, I was already engaged in finding someone to introduce us when I received the summons. I did not wish to leave but had no choice." He paused to catch his breath, so quickly had the words leapt from his mouth. "I have spent the last two hours in contemplation on how to go on as I had given up hope that you would still be here."

She smiled at him, a coquettish twinkle in her eye. "Your coming is most fortuitous as I am just now leaving," she said, casting a glance over her shoulder. "My friend awaits me with our carriage."

"Then may I call on you later today?"

The smile fell from her face. "Oh. I am already engaged to visit my sister today.” She looked away for a moment, eyebrows creased in thought. “I am sure Jane and Thor would not object if you called on me there," she offered.

"I would be delighted." He glanced up the corridor. His news could wait a few minutes he decided. "May I escort you to your carriage?" he asked. 

She nodded her consent and he offered her his arm.

The corridor they were in led directly to the front foyer, and there was little time for more than the exchange of a few harmless pleasantries such as "Did you enjoy the ball?" and "Indeed, yes. ‘Tis a shame you had to miss such a lively party," and "I look forward to seeing you again soon," and an exchange of addresses.

In less than two minutes he was bidding her good night, “I think you mean good morning, sir!” and handing her into her carriage under the amused and watchful eye of her friend.

Standing on the front steps of Natasha's home, he watched the carriage until it turned the corner and was gone from view. Turning away he was not surprised to see Natasha standing in the doorway.

“You returned just in time I see,” she said, a satisfied smile playing about her lips.

“It was most fortuitous,” he replied. “Come, I shall tell you what little there is to tell but first I have ill news that should not be spoken of here.”

She nodded, turning back into the house. He took one last glance at where the carriage bearing his soulmate had turned the corner before entering the house, already counting down the hours until they were to meet again.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely want to play in this 'Verse some more, it's just a matter of when and how. 
> 
> Thank you all for the wonderful comments and engagement on this fic. It's been a blast 💗😘💝😍💖

**Author's Note:**

> My Tumblr, if you're interested, is [ibelieveinturtles](http://ibelieveinturtles.tumblr.com/)


End file.
